


Lush And Low

by CouldntCareCrown



Category: Antarctic Empire - Fandom, DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Technoblade - Fandom, philza - Fandom
Genre: DreamSMP - Freeform, F/M, Fantasy, Idiots in Love, Love, Magic, Origin Story, alternative universe, travel buddies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29631780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CouldntCareCrown/pseuds/CouldntCareCrown
Summary: AU where Philza and Technoblade are travel buddies.The two stumble upon Kristen, and we all know what effect she has on Phil.I wonder what will happen...
Relationships: Philza/Kristen
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. Bro Bonds

**Author's Note:**

> The characters are based on their Dre SMP versions.  
> The story takes place between SMP Earth and Dre SMP
> 
> Written for those nice peoples on Instagram who wanted to read something like this: hope I don't disappoint

Philza always thought ambushes were funny. It made his blood boil, but in a good, thrilling way. It felt nice to practice sword-fighting every once in a while, moving the sore muscles, even if it was quite an unfair setup. The thought that criminals thought they could take them when they noticed him and his companion strolling through the forest, always made him snicker. Their bloodthirsty faces turning to terror when confronted with the truth were also hilarious. 

Those who didn't immediately take flight at the sight of the insane man wielding a rapier muttering "blood for the blood god" as he took on three enemies at the same time without a problem were finished by him: amused by the slaughter, giggling in the heat of the fight.

They moved together to a melody unheard by anyone but them, backs against each other, weapons dancing their cruel waltz. This was their dynamic: the king marching relentlessly, streams of blood flowing wherever he went and the warlord, bathing in that blood. 

"You aight?" a fairly low and fairly concerned voice halted his descent into his thoughts.

His gaze raked over the bodies laying scattered on the mossy ground, looking for movement, breathing, signs of life. There was none. There never was. 

"I'm okay mate." he confirmed, grinning at his friend. 

At the end of every battle, there was always his partner, asking if he was alright. Technoblade would only miss asking this question if he was dead.

The unruly forest that held its breath while the swords were singing went back to its nightfall routine. The leaves chattered relentlessly as the wind passed through them. The resulting in a non-stop background noise was further worsened by a variety of birds chirping their lullabies. The light bent weirdly between the trees as the dusk slowly set. But this was a battlefield and Phil knew that strange things are normal at places where the flow of life is cut short. The gluttonous stream surrounding the clearing where they fought gladly swallowed the blood of their fallen foes.

"You know you're bleeding right?" Phil asked, just a hint of concern in his voice as he examined his ally. 

Indeed, there was a cut on the expensive-looking aqua trousers, the fabric stained to become the same color as the capes of the two men. 

"Unfortunate." Technoblade said, digging his left hoof into the soft ground to stabilize himself and take the pressure off the other leg. "I think it's quite deep as well. It was a sharp sword." 

"It's because you used that rapier. Why not use the longsword to keep them away? Are you just carrying it for extra calorie burn?" Phil motioned at the hilt of the huge sword clearly visible on Techno's back and let out a small chuckle.

"I do use it!" Techno grinned back, seemingly unfazed by the blood and pain. "I just prefer the rapier. It sits better in my hand."

His voice fell to a mumble, he lowered his gaze, suddenly very interested in the moss on the ground. 

"I need to satisfy its need for blood sometimes..."

Phil ignored the comment as he didn't want to pry, but eyeing the long cold blade he realized he wouldn't be surprised if the sword had a consciousness of its own. The knuckle guard twisted around Technos wrist protectively. Suddenly Phil wasn't sure if the soldier was holding the weapon, or the weapon was holding the soldier.

"Anyhow..." Techno said, sheathing the rapier, forcing his fingers to let go.

"We need to get you cleaned up." Phil agreed. 

A soft splash sound made both men spin around: Philza much faster than Techno. The creek had washed away all the blood, new crystal clear water reflected the light of the setting sun. Phil followed the water with his gaze. His friend did the same. For a second, the both of them stood in silence

"Look." Phil said, voice sounding as puzzled as Techno's expression looked. "It's disappearing into the ground."

Without having to ask whether they want to check it out or not, Phil stretched out a supporting hand to help the injured man walk, who tactically turned around to look for a stick he could use as a cane. Phil suppressed a smile. The Blade didn't like to appear weak. 

Philza let him be and wandered closer to the sinkhole swallowing the stream. An older-looking tree decorated by Mother Nature with petite pink flowers stood there, roots clawing the remaining ground for dear life as the little river fell into the nothingness below. Phil felt his companion beside him.

"What IS this?" Techno's voice was heavy with awe. 

Balancing on one leg, he poked the hole with his cane-stick. A sickeningly deep crack was the answer. One of the aged rotten roots gave in, and the abyss opened its mouth to welcome its visitors.

For those few seconds of falling, Phil was calm. Honestly, something like this was definitely expected. 

He splashed like a bomb, letting out a small yelp as the cold water swallowed him. A step away from him, Techno coughed up the remains of cave-seaweed, gently introduced into his system by the landing. 

The disheveled complexion of the oh so proud warrior, his azure-colored clothes - relics of a fallen empire- fully drenched, and the weight of his own cardinal-colored cape trying to suffocate him was enough to make a chuckle bubble in Phil's chest. 

"All..." Technoblade swallowed. "All within my calculations." 

A deep laugh broke out of Phil, the sound bouncing off the walls shrouded in dusk. A second later, Technoblade joined him. The returning giggles only stopped when they managed to securely drag all of their belongings - backpacks double in weight when wet, did you know? - to a tiny island in the middle of the lake. 

"Heck, this stings." Techno scrunched his nose, digging his fingers into his thigh, throwing himself on the strange, soft grass inhabiting the piece of land. "Phil this water is magical."

Phil examined the lake. It was indeed magical. Small, golden coils of energy danced on the surface of it, dissolving in the last beams of the dying sun. 

Phil stared at Techno for a second, sizing up the healed scar on Technos face, the cut disrupting his skin from his forehead to his jaw, running through his left eye, taking his sight with him. He wondered how such an injury could have caused the man to be able to see magic. He'd never heard of learning to see magic: he himself was born with the ability.

He turned his attention to the scar on his friend's thigh, which was temporarily cleaned by the water but now bubbled with blood again. They definitely needed some rest.

"We'll stay here." he said, his voice leaving no room for buts. "I'll take the first watch. You clean that wound and rest."

Techno stiffened and saluted in a teasing way. Phil suppressed another smile and turned to watch over his friend.


	2. If She Floats She's A Witch?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What could possibly live in a magical grotto?  
> There's no way anything would live in it... right?
> 
> Keyword: soft

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the tips and praises

It only took a couple of hours for Philza to start his battle against his heavy eyelids. The rhythmic splashing of the waterfall threatened to lull him into a deep sleep. Sweet, stuffy air filled the cave as the morning drew closer. Phil debated waking Technoblade up, but seeing the younger man curled up in the grass in quite a blissfully unaware state, he steeled his heart.

Instead, he used the minimal light of the dawn penetrating the tangled roots above to navigate his surroundings. The cave really wasn't as big as it felt in the dark. Instead, it seemingly had multiple rooms and multiple islands.

It seemed the relatively small tree that invited the stream and of course them into the cave was much bigger underground than above ground. Protective roots mixed with rich brown earth. Emerald green leaves and ferns covered the walls, the mossy carpet stretching well into the clear water. Like a pavement, different-sized lilypads grew from the underwater ferns.

Like lanterns in a ballroom, vines dropped from the ceiling, an abundance of berries letting out warm golden light. The cherry on top of the natural decoration were the palm-sized pink flowers hanging all around the grotto. Phil noted there were possibly to blame for the sweet smell.

Cozy and safe were the words that came to Phil when examining the grotto. _Sacred._

However, that didn't make the unknown look less threatening. Phil slipped out of his thigh-high boots, then dropped his cape next to Techno. The water felt cold against his toes and shins as he stepped into one of the pools, making sure not to step on the lilypads.

Moss tickled his soles as he waded towards where the ceiling lowered, only to stretch back out towards the sky. The next room looked exactly the same as the previous one, maybe a little darker. He let his tired gaze wander, letting out a deep yawn.

The soft splash sound made him jump as if he stepped on a scorpion, immediately regretting leaving his sword on the island. The waves caused by whatever made the noise quickly straightened as if wishing to cover the traces of life. But they couldn't cover the traces of magic.

Phil felt anxiety rise in him as he examined the wild golden magic floating just above the water surface. Something was _definitely_ here. 

The pieces were set, now it was time to solve the puzzle. 

Carefully moving the plants - growing unsure whether or not they were poisonous or not - Phil carefully searched the cave walls. It wasn't long before he found the entrance of a half-underwater passageway, conveniently leaving just enough space between the stone and the water that he could walk through without having to hold his breath.

As he slipped one of his feet in the opening to test for traps, expecting no less than his limb being bitten off by an enchanted cave alligator, he witnessed to his horror the dangling ferns spinning themselves into a near-impenetrable web.

"What the fuck..." Phil mumbled, the screams of his agonized nervous system almost audible in his ear.

He debated returning and waking Techno again, but stopped himself. His friend was injured. He could barely even run away if the need arose, let alone have an aquatic battle.

Chest-deep in the water, he wandered further and further in the watery labyrinth. Every now and then the abundance of golden magic confirmed he was still en route. The air was even stuffier here. Phil had to use both hands to open a path between the plants, making very sure he didn't injure any. The feeling that the cave was alive drilled itself into his mind and never left.

"Mother Nature's hair." he thought to himself.

One more step and suddenly he was completely submerged in water. The floor had disappeared. Fighting against the current pulling him under, fingers tangled with the hairlike plant, Phil opened his eyes as water dangerously filled his nostrils.

A few blinks and he finally saw it. The source of his distress. His heart rattled against in his ribcage, like a bird desiring to take flight.

Floating above the underwater abyss, soft pink mixed with gold. 

She hovered over the unknown, illuminated by the persistent glow of the remaining berries. Holding herself in position with the almost invisible motion of her petite, webbed hands made the water move around her, her dark wavy hair dancing with the current and the bubbles. Her silky, marble skin was almost translucent, further emphasized by the ivory dress she was wearing. The featherlight fabric, decorated by golden engravings started just below her collarbone. It covered half of her upper arms, leaving her shoulders and the majority of her back open, expanding into a relatively long train that floated around her legs. She wore a pink fern-like crown, something that took Phil seconds to realize was actually a part of her. As her chest rose and sunk, he also figured out what it was. External gills. 

She was the living version of rose quartz dropped into melted starlight. Phil's breath hitched at the sight, even more life-giving air leaving his lungs. Fighting against suffocation he desperately tried to push himself up, but the water didn't follow his orders. As his vision turned blurry, he felt cold skin against his own. Before sinking into the dark, he wondered how anything in the universe could feel so soft. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a ton of fun brainstorming my version of Kristen
> 
> Hope you enjoyed


	3. Rocky Starts Bring Sweet Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some action for those who love it

Heavy. Light. Philza wasn't quite sure what he felt as he drifted closer and closer to consciousness. The dark twisted and turned, like a twig in a whirlpool. He fought to open his eyes, digging his nails into the soft surface below him, his world stabilizing.

Voices. Light. Familiar.

He finally pried his eyelids apart. Color penetrated his mind and he almost fainted again from the sensory overload the emerald ceiling gave him. He took a shaky breath, lungs expanding painfully as if he hadn't used them in years. His heart picked up the pace as he took in his surroundings.

The first thing he saw was the angel who dominated his mind right before the darkness came and took over. She sat - cowered rather - at the edge of the water, toes submerged, the train of her dress floating in the shallows like a tragic wedding veil. Damp dark waves freed themselves from behind her shoulder and fell to frame her face as she stared upwards, fire in her eyes.

Blinding coldness danced on the wall. The light reflecting off a blade.

Technoblade stood - towered rather - right in front of her, forcing her gaze on him with the weapon threatening her throat. 

"I told you, I dragged him out of the water. It seems like the idiot can't swim." a harsh, defensive voice. Maybe a little scared. Phil saw her lips shake.

A scornful scoff. Dismissal.

"Pick a god and start praying. Because if that man," the sword moved to point towards Phil "doesn't wake up in the next 5 minutes. There will be blood."

The weapon returned to hover a few inches away from her throat, the tip drawing small ovals in the air. Dread rose in him as Phil realized: Techno was warming up his wrist for the strike.

A cough escaped him as he forced his vocal cords to work.

"Techno don't..." he swallowed thickly, holding back another cough. "Don't hurt her."

The sound put an end to the staring contest, the bloodthirsty aura slowly dissolving in the humid air. The Blade dropped his weapon and immediately jumped to aid his friend in sitting up, the disoriented Philza relying heavily on Techno. 

From this new angle, Phil examined his surroundings again. Luckily, there was no blood in sight.

"It's fine Techno. I'm all good." he turned to calm his friend, a reassuring pat on the hand.

"I'm so glad.- the younger man hushed, eyes wandering all over Phil's complexion looking for possible scars." I thought... I thought of the worst for a second."

"I'm..." Phil cleared his throat, voice sounding less and less like a 50-year-old addicted to cigars with every passing second. "I'm pretty sure she did save me."

"The overgrown axolotl saved you?" Techno echoed in disbelief. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

Phil shot a cold stare in his direction, just as the person referred to as the "overgrown axolotl" did the same.

"It's Kristen." she hissed. "I told you before."

Techno's hand inched towards his belt where his rapier sat and waited, facial expression promising war. Kristen straightened in anticipation.

"Cut it out Techno." Phil caught the gaze of the younger man, holding it until the tempest disappeared.

The disaster averted once more, Phil let out a sigh. 

Techno kept sizing up Kristen, who in response edged closer and closer to the water. Phil felt a pang of regret, cursing himself for causing this situation.

"Kristen," he spoke up, the name rolling off his tongue like a lump of sugar, leaving a sweet trail.

Kristen stopped shifting, acknowledging the soothing tone Phil used.

"I'm sorry for our ungrateful behavior." Phil then said, a futile attempt to lessen the guilt twisting his guts. "And I'm sorry that we just infiltrated your home."

Silence.

"And I'm sorry you had to save me. I'm sure you wish you didn't."

Silence again. Techno looked away.

"For the record, I wasn't trying to hurt you or spy on you. I just... I guess you could call it curiosity."

Kristen finally looked up. She glared into Phil's soul for a second, a strange warm feeling pooling in his stomach as he suffered under the weight of her chocolate-colored eyes.

"You're a lot more pleasant to talk to than the other guy." she then said, expression shifting into something a little more friendly.

Phil shot a small smile in her direction, wishing she'd hold his gaze again.

"Forgive him, he's naturally suspicious of everything."

"Your son? You're nothing alike."

"He's not my son. And we're actually quite similar." Phil let out a small chuckle, voice turning fond. "He's a friend. A very dear friend."

Kristen mumbled something about protectiveness as Techno shifted awkwardly. Phil quickly composed himself.

"All I'm asking is you let us rest until he gets better." he said, introducing the request as nicely as possible.

"He's unwell?" Kristen's voice turned concerned, something that seemingly shocked both Phil and Techno.

"Don't worry about it." Techno said, his voice more dismissive than provoking.

Kristen seemed lost in thought for a second, then stood without a word and marched straight into the water. A last glint of white - her dress or her skin - and the surface of the water settled.

Phil stared in her direction for a full minute, the look she gave him still burning in his mind.

He then turned to address his companion, who flinched as Phil turned to face him.

"Technoblade what the hell did you do?"

Techno immediately turned defensive, head tucked between his shoulders. 

"She suddenly showed up, dragging your lifeless body! Naturally freaked out!"

" And?" Phil continued the interrogation.

"So I put a sword to her throat, as you do." Techno said, regaining his nonchalant tone.

Despite the cold feeling that Kristen's absence left, Phil turned to face the sky and let out a burst of heartfelt laughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Kick me if I forget to continue this
> 
> Please point out any grammar mistakes: I'm not a native speaker/writer


End file.
